Phlogistonian Revolution
The Revolution that changed our world is well documented, both here and elsewhere. Retreading this ground will do little good here. I would instead like to submit for your examination the following document. I meticulously translated and reconstructed it from a few pages of a compilation text purchased by the Deacon's stewards in a lot of historical trinkets. It is a letter penned by Thomas Ratner, a physician to and fellow conspirator of many of the technological elite during the early days of the revolution. The recipient is unknown. :::: "Dear cuz, :::: '' I don't think anyone involved realizes what we're doing. These Flambeaux aren't leaders. Maybe their ideas will pan out, but I don't trust a one of them to take care of people. I met Young a few weeks back. He was giving a tour of the new facilities, demonstrating their "Phlogiston might." You mix that oil with those devices and the will to power and what comes out the other side is...the ferrocrete worktable some of the demonstrations were set on was melted nearly down the middle. He said it was from 'spills.' What if someone makes a weapon of these things? What if it got in the water, or whatever damned public service they try to creat out of it leaks? No one talks about Alex anymore. His body is still in his lab. It's closed now, no one uses it. I think they think he'll just come back from whatever fugue frontier he went to explore. He's dead and who knows if he'll ever be buried. Maybe they'll just throw him out with the trash when they move again.'' :::: '' I don't want to appear ungrateful, but these people are talking about a bloodless revolution! In all my years of practice, I've never seen any human endeavor turn out bloodless. If we aren't violent, we're accident prone. These Rectors they want to build, they think they can use the threat of hidden knives to get people to leave them alone. I'm with them in spirit. What they want, I want. There needs to be a safe place in the world. A place to think, and learn, and heal. A place without the Baptistes or Worldcorp . But no one will just let you have it. In the end, it'll be kill or be killed. When it comes time to push the button, I know what the Carthaginians will be using. I don't want to know what these Phlogistonians will be. I don't want anyone to ever have to know.'' :::: '' ~TR"'' Analysis It may well be that this was written to a familial acquaintence as the opening appellation indicates. There is some speculation that Dr. Ratner was in contact with a member of the Baptiste counter-intelligence community. This individual may be who Ratner is writing to. The Baptistes either did not move quickly enough to make use of the doctor or were unable to find a use at all, given that he held no real authority among the nascent movement. After the success of the revolution, Dr. Ratner joined the cult of ARIAX to try to create a movement of temperance and restraint regarding the use of phlogiston. It would seem the cult was not the proper avenue for such a movement and his ideas largely failed to take hold. After retiring altogether, the final years of his life are lost to the historical record. See Also Flambeaux Baptiste Worldcorp